The present application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. xc2xa7119 to Japanese Patent Application No. 10-366,952, filed Dec. 24, 1998, entitled xe2x80x9cAutomated Synthesizing Apparatus.xe2x80x9d The contents of that application are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an automated chemical synthesizer which includes a mechanism configured to prevent the diffusion of gas which is produced when compounds are collected.
2. Description of the Background
Automated chemical synthesizers have been used for research in the fields of pharmaceutical, life science, chemistry and material science among others.
FIGS. 13 and 14 show a conventional automated chemical synthesizer. Referring to FIGS. 13 and 14, the automated chemical synthesizer has a syringe 53 and a reaction block 51 including multiple reaction vessels 52 in which synthetic reactions take place. The syringe 53 dispenses solvents and reagents to the reaction vessels 52 according to preset dispensing protocols. Furthermore, in the automated chemical synthesizer, synthetic reactions in the reaction vessels 52 take place in parallel. Therefore, the automated chemical synthesizer synthesizes multiple experimental chemical compounds simultaneously. Then, compounds synthesized in the reaction vessels 52 are collected respectively.
The automated chemical synthesizer includes a collecting block 54 which holds a number of collection vessels 55. Chemical compounds synthesized in the reaction vessels 52 are collected in the collection vessels 55. The collection vessels 55 are provided in the same manner as the reaction vessels 52. The number of the collection vessels 55 is same as that of the reaction vessels 52. To collect synthesized chemical compounds, the collecting block 54 rises until the top portions of the collection vessels 55 contact with the lower surface of the reaction block 51. The collecting block 54 is set below the reaction block 51 so that the collection vessels 55 communicate with the reaction vessels 52. Hence, the compounds are transferred from the reaction vessels 52 into the collection vessels 55.
However, in this automated chemical synthesizer, gas which is produced when compounds are synthesized and collected may leak from a gap created between the lower surface of the reaction block 51 and the top portions of the collection vessels 55. The gas is sometimes harmful.
For instance, in a synthesis involving a solid phase reaction, synthesized chemical compounds are produced in resin granules and thus are extracted by a solvent, usually a strong acid such as Tri-Fluoroacetate (xe2x80x9cTFAxe2x80x9d). In the conventional automated chemical synthesizers, the harmful gas from such a solvent could leak from the gap between the reaction vessels and the collection vessels, and diffuse into the chemical synthesizer. The gas could not only corrode the chemical synthesizer but also harm the people around it.
An object of the present invention is to provide an automated chemical synthesizer which includes a mechanism configured to prevent the diffusion of gas which is produced when synthesized compounds are collected.
This object is achieved according to the present invention by providing a novel automated chemical synthesizer including at least one reaction vessel, at least one collection vessel, a passage and a gas discharging unit. A compound is to be synthesized in the at least one reaction vessel. The at least one collection vessel is configured to be connected to the at least one reaction vessel in order to collect the compound from the at least one reaction vessel. The passage is configured to communicate with the at least one collection vessel. The gas discharging unit is provided in the passage and configured to discharge gas from the at least one collection vessel through the passage.